Actuation means for actuating a functional part in an automobile by means of a handle portion or the like

• US 6,561,667 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Stapf, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/933,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/85, 362/501, 362/487, 362/109, 362/100
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/267 Door handles; Hand grips

Abstract

Actuation means for actuating a functional part in an automobile by means of a handle portion or the like, whereby at least a portion, e.g. a stripe of an electro luminescence sheet is applied to a surface of the handle portion or adjacent to the handle portion and connected to an electric source.

Claims

1. A door handle, adapted to be mounted on a door for actuating a lock to open the door, said handle comprising:

a handle body;

a sheet made of an electroluminescent material, said sheet being positioned on a side of said body that is adapted to face the door when said handle is mounted thereon; and

at least one conductor in electrical contact with said sheet.

2. The door handle of claim 1, further comprising a transparent protective sheet covering and protecting said electroluminescent sheet.

3. The door handle of claim 1, further comprising an electric source selectively or permanently connected to said conductor for supplying said sheet with electric power.

4. The door handle of claims 1, wherein said sheet is not visible from an opposite side of said body.

5. The door handle of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer applied between said body and said sheet for bonding said sheet to said body.

6. The door handle of claim 1, wherein said body, on the side adapted to face the door, has a surface formed with a depression in which said sheet is received.

7. The door handle of claim 1, wherein said handle is one of an inner door handle and an outer door handle for an automobile door.

8. The door handle of claim 1, wherein said conductor is embedded within said body.

9. The door handle of claim 1, wherein said sheet comprises a stripe of the electroluminescent material, said stripe extending along a longitudinal dimension of said body.

10. The door handle of claim 7, wherein a thickness of said sheet is not greater than a depth of said depression.

11. In combination, a door and a door handle, said handle being mounted on said door for actuating a lock to open said door, said handle comprising:

a handle body;

a sheet made of an electroluminescent material, said sheet being positioned on a side of said body that faces the door; and

at least one conductor in electrical contact with said sheet.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said body is a lever member pivotable about a pivot point, at least in a direction away from said door.

13. The combination of claim 12, wherein said sheet is not visible from an opposite side of said body that faces away from said door.

14. The combination of claim 12, wherein said body, on the side that faces said door, has a surface formed with a depression in which said sheet is received.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein a thickness of said sheet is not greater than a depth of said depression.

16. The combination of claim 12, wherein said door is an automobile door, and said body is positioned on one of an inner side and an outer side of said automobile door.

17. The combination of claim 12, wherein said conductor is embedded within said body, said door comprising a lead in electrical contact with said conductor for connecting said conductor and said sheet to a power source.

18. The combination of claim 12, wherein said conductor is embedded within said body and extends through said pivot point.

19. The combination of claim 12, further comprising an electric source selectively or permanently connected to said conductor for supplying said sheet with electric power.

20. The combination of claim 13, wherein said door has a recess in a region immediately facing said sheet, a surface of said recess being illuminated, and hence visible from the opposite side of said body, by said sheet when power is applied to said conductor.